Jennifer is not a stripper.

I have no idea why customers would think this, but to set the record straight... I am not a stripper. Never have been, never will be. So why do customers insist on throwing their money at me? Has common decency gone out the window and so now instead of handing me your $5 bill, you feel you must hurl it at me from across the counter. Or perhaps you would rather place your $5 in quarters and dimes on the counter so I have to pick every one of them up. I just don't get it. Treatment of people has gone down the toilet over the last 10 years. People feel entitled to get what they want while treating the people helping them like garbage. I have been in customer service for over 10 years and the things I have seen has me wondering what happened to people to make them so angry and bitter that they have to beat down the people helping them? There is this term, "The customer is always right" but let me tell you right now, the customer isn't always right. In this economy, some customers find every chance they can to cheat the system and there are times when I just have to say no. Especially where I work, I appreciate that they are willing to wait in line and pay $3-$5 for a drink and I will give them the best drink and customer service I can, but when they start to insult me or my employees, I draw the line. Same thing goes for cheating the system with refills and such. "Dude, I KNOW you did not get a coffee here this morning as it is 5:15 and we just opened 15 minutes ago. I can't give you a free refill."-as said to the man holding out his obviously used cup from many, many days ago. Don't these people realize that cheating the system makes everyone else pay more? I love my customers, especially my regulars. I was suprised yesterday morning at how many of their names I knew. It was great to go down the line and call them all by name. And the people I didn't know? I treated them like one of the regulars too! And I try to learn their name. I like making people feel appreciated and I would hope that they would do the same. Not all people are bad but there are a few bad apples. It just feels like as we get busier and busier, there is no time to be nice anymore. I am here to tell you right now that there is time to be nice. It is very possible. Even in my fast paced job where I deal with hundreds of customers, I am still able to provide great customer service. Be nice, people. It's just coffee and there are bigger fish to fry. And don't throw your money at me. I'm not a stripper. [end rant]

Jennifer is on YouTube!

Ok, this was a FEEEEEW years ago, but I had to share. Don't mind the unflattering angle or the fact that I forgot the lyrics halfway through the song. The fact is that I got my butt up there with a LIVE band and sang a song I had only practiced for a week! It was for a competition to perform at the Rose Festival (I believe). It was called Big Band Karaoke.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfSMzovzYbg

A funny side note, the judging was based on audience applause. I, unfortunately, had only brought two other people with me. Some people brought 20+ people with them. The judge who had the "applause-o-meter" actually came up and told me that I should have won based on talent and that my "applause rating" was literally right under the top two finalists (who had brought with them an army of many, many friends). It made my night, even if I didn't win.